Hypodermic syringe



R. L. HUBER HYPODERMIC SYRINGE Filed Feb. 8, 1951 Sept. 14, 1954 n M M MR m a. M W W H 1B. 5 W 0 .W W H, LAM P 8 v 3 r 3 Patented Sept. 14, 1954 HYPODERMIC SYRIN GE Ralph Lee Huber, Seattle, Wash. Jennie Huber, .administratrix of said Ralph Lee Huber, de-

ceased Application February 8, 1951, Serial No. 210,047

9 Claims.

'This invention relates to hypodermic syringes and it has reference more particularly to improvements in syringes that are operable to elect a liquid medicament directly from an ampoule through a hypodermic needle; the present device being a syringe of that type designated as a one shot syringe, in that it is the intent that it shall be used only once and thrown away or discarded after use. Furthermore, the present invention relates to syringes of that type employed for the hypodermic injection of a medicament from a containing ampoule of cylindrical form and closed at its ends by means of rubber stopples, one of which is caused to be pierced by the inner end of the needle and the other is operable as a piston whereby the medicine is then forcibly discharged through the needle.

The principal objects of the present invention are to provide a syringe of the character or type above mentioned, having improved details of construction that make possible, upon .the insertion of the needle, an easy and satisfactory aspiration to determine the correctness of the insertion before causing its inner end to pierce the stopple of the ampoule; to provide a construction whereby an external pressure will be built up about the ampoule during the forced ejection of medicament therefrom to counteract increased internal pressure as an insurance against cracking or exploding the ampoule; to provide means for the accurate centering and aligning of the ampoule in the barrel of the syringe; to provide for the use of an ampoule that can be completely sterilized and then sealed in and maintained in a sterile condition in the syringe barrel until after use of the medicament; to provide a syringe that can be sterilized and then sealed and maintained in sterile condition until time of use.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a one shot syringe that can be manufactured at a lesser cost than present day devices used for a like purpose and which has various advantages in use.

Still further objects of my invention reside in the details of construction of the various parts embodied therein; in their combination and mode of use as will hereinafter be fully described.

In accomplishing these and other objects of my invention, I have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Fig. 1 is a side View of a hypodermic syringe embodying the features of thepresent invention therein.

Fig. 2 is a somewhat enlarged, longitudinal section of the syringe, showing the ampoule as sealed therein, and before the needle has been caused to pierce the outer end stopple of the ampoule.

Fig. 3 is a central, longitudinal sectional view of the syringe showing the relationship of parts near the end of an injection operation.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the main parts of the syringe and the ampoule, shown in a separated relationship.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, cross-sectional View taken on the line 5-5 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail showing the encasing of the needle in a removable sleeve.

Fig. 7 is a sectional detail showing the slight flaring of the end of the plunger sleeve.

Referring more in detail to the drawings- The present syringe comprises two principal parts, one of which is referred to as the barrel and is designated in its entirety by reference numeral l9, and the other being referred to as the plunger and is designated in its entirety by reference character l2.

The barrel Ill comprises a uniformly cylindrical body portion [0, closed at that end which will be herein designated as its outer end, by an integrally cast wall II. The opposite end of the barrel is open, and is there formed with an integral, encircling finger flange I3.

The needle employed with this syringe comprises the usual tubular cannula If that is mounted in the end wall ll of the barrel, and extends therefrom coaxial of the barrel. The mounting end portion of the needle is sealed within a hub 16, cast on the end wall. To insure against possible endwise slippage of the needle under inserting pressure, it is slightly bent, as at H, in that portion contained within the hub 16. The inner end of the needle extends a suitable distance, for example about onefourth inch within the barrel and is beveled to a sharpened point as designated at .18. The'outer end of the needle also is sharpened or pointed as designated at I9, for easy insertion .in the I flesh of the patient.

The plunger i2 comprises a uniformly cylindrical body I2 having an outside diameter that is substantially equal to the inside diameter of the barrel body in, so that it can be telescopically fitted therein for reciprocal action. At its outer end the cylindrical body l2 isintegral- 1y cast with a thumb piece 25 :that closes that end of the body and whereby :the plunger may be manipulated. Contained coaxially within the cylindrical body I 2 is a stem or push rod -26.

. equal to that of the barrel l0.

3 This has its outer end integrally cast with the thumb piece 25 as clearly shown in Fig. 2, and

f extends therefrom substantially the full length of the body I2, preferably terminating slightly within it, as shown, but not necessarily so. Also,

as shown best in Fig. 2 there is substantial clearance between the push rod and tubular body l2, providing the annular clearance space designated at 28 in Fig. 2.

A special feature of the construction of the body I2 resides in the beveling and slight flaring of the inner end portion of the body, as at 29, from the outer periphery inwardly to reduce this end to a thin, flexible edge, that will press 35. It comprises a uniformly cylindrical glass tube 3500, having a length that is approximately It is closed at its outer end by a rubber stopple 3B, and at its other end it is fitted with a stopple 31 set somewhat within the end portion. The medicament is indicated in Fig. 2, at 38. It is observed that the stopple 36 has an encircling, outer end flange 1 f abutted against the end of the tube to limit 1 its inward disposition thereinto, and the stopple has an inner end recess extended to near. the

closed outer end of the stopple.

The stopple 31 is of plug form and is fitted as a piston for movement in the tube toward the closed, opposite end under pressure as applied by the push rod 26 of the plunger as presently explained.

and the plunger asembled with the barrel for packaging, the parts assume the relationship shown in Fig. 2. The push rod 26 enters the outer end of the ampoule with slight clearance and engages the stopple 31. The beveled end of sleeve [2 enters the open end of the barrel in a close air tight fit. It is to be noted that the inside diameter of the barrel I0 is decreased for a short distance next to the closed end, to provide a cylindrical portion 40. The inner end portion of the ampoule, is received within this portion 40 of reduced diameter to center the ampoule andstopple 36 relative to the inner end portion of the needle. The portion of reduced diameter, merges into the part of larger diameter in an inclined or beveled annular surface 4l in order that the ampoule will be easily received in the part 40.

It is also to be observed, more particularly by reference to Fig. 5, that the cylindrical sleeve 12' of the plunger is formed interiorly with three or more equally angularly spaced longitudinal ribs designed to receive the outer end portion of the ampoule therein and to lightly grip the outer surface of the ampoule when the parts are assembled together as in Fig. 2.

It is the intent that prior to the assembling of the parts as in Fig. 2, all shall be properly sterilized. Then the filled ampoule is placed in the barrel, and the plunger applied thereoveras 4 shown in Fig. 2.- A suitable sealing jelly may be applied about the plunger to seal the joint where it enters the barrel, and then the unit can be placed within a sterile container of plastic, or other suitable material and the bag or container sealed, or alternatively, a sterile cap as at 48 can be applied over the needle, as in Fig. 6, and sealed over the hub l6.

To use the syringe, the enclosing bag, container or cap is removed and the needle preparedfor insertion; this being effected by gripping the barrel only. After insertion of the needle, the plunger can be moved slightly'outwardly in the barrel thus to effect a slight vacuum efiect, produce aspiration whereby the correctness of insertion can be determined. If blood appears at the inner end of the needle, the insertion should be corrected until no blood appears incident to such operation. Then injection of the medicament is effected by applying pressure against the head 25 at the outer end of the plunger to move it inwardly. The pressure of the plunger stem 26 directly against thestopple 31 forces the ampoule inwardly and causes the needle point I8 to pierce the stopple 38 as shown in Fig. 3. Then continued inward movement of the plunger forces the stopple 3T inwardly and causes forced ejection of the medicament through the needle in the usual Way. After injection has been completed, the needle is withdrawn and the unit may be discarded.

It is anticipated that the barrel and plunger shall be cast of plastic or of any other suitable materials. Dimensions might be varied to meet requirements for any particular use.

The advantages of this particular constructio over present day syringes of a like character are numerous and inherent in the details of construction. It is manufactured from a relatively inexpensive plastic material and may be produced mechanically by mass-productionmethods. The medication containing ampoule is asceptically packed into the syringe at the factory thereby eliminating the possibility of unnecessary contamination or error by the administrator.

A further advantage resides in the double Wall protection of the medicament whereby. a dead air space is provided. This is best illustrated in Figure 2. The air space between the Walls will give reasonable protection to the contents of the ampoule against temperature changes during needle is piercing a blood vessel. This may be accomplished without removing the needle from the patient, thus making additional punctures of the flesh unnecessary. The details of construction which makes this function. possible have been previously described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I

l. A hypodermic syringe for the injection of a liquid from a cylindrical ampoule having a sealing stopple of a pierceable material fixed therein at one end and a stopple of piston form inovably fitted in its opposite end portion; said syringe comprising a tubular barrel, open at one end to receive the ampoule thereinto and closed at its other end mounting a hypodermic needle within that end; said needle having a sharpened inner end portion extended into the barrel to an extent sufiicient to be projected through the sealing stopple of the ampoule when it is forced thereagainst, and a plunger comprising a tubular body telescopically fitted within the said barrel in an air tight joint and freely about an ampoule contained therein, and having a closing wall at its outer end and a stem extending from said closing wall, within the body to engage with the movable stopple of the contained ampoule as a means for moving the ampoule to cause its sealing stopple to be pierced by the sharpened inner end of the needle and then to advance the movable stopple within the ampoule to effect the ejection of the liquid therefrom through the needle.

2. A hypodermic syringe as recited in claim 1 wherein the inner end portion of the tubular body of the plunger has a flared flexible end portion that engages the barrel wall in a pressure retain-- ing joint, thus to provide for the building up of air pressure about the contained ampoule by the inward movement of the plunger.

3. A hypodermic syringe as recited in claim 1 wherein the tubular body of the plunger fits at its open end within the said tubular barrel in an air tight joint, and provides clearance between its walls and the ampoule, thus to make possible the building up of air pressure about the ampoule incident to the advancement of the plunger into the barrel.

4. A hypodermic syringe as recited in claim 1 wherein the tubular body of the plunger fits within the said tubular barrel in an air tight joint, and provides clearance between its walls and the ampoule, thus to make possible the building up of air pressure about the ampoule incident to the ad vancement of the plunger into the barrel, and wherein the tubular body of the plunger has internal protuberances to frictionally engage the side walls of the ampoule when the plunger is applied to the barrel, to provide a holding contact whereby an outward movement of the arm poule with an outward aspirating movement of the plunger may be effected.

5. A hypodermic syringe as recited in claim 1 wherein the inner end portion of the tubular body of the plunger is flexible and slightly flared, and is beveled to a thin edge that engages closely and in air sealing contact with the barrel walls.

6. A hypodermic syringe as recited in claim 1 wherein the tubular body of the plunger fits telescopically in the barrel in an air tight joint, and wherein the said tubular body is formed longitudinally on its inner surface with inwardly projecting ribs to engage with and axially center the ampoule therein as the plunger receives the ampoule therein, and which ribs frictionally grip the ampoule for effecting its movement with an aspirating movement of the plunger.

7. A syringe as recited in claim 1 wherein the barrel receives the ampoule therein with substantial clearance, and where-in the barrel is formed within its needle containing end, with a diametrically constricted position to receive the end portion of the ampoule therein as a means of axially centering it relative to the barrel.

8. A syringe as recited in claim 1 wherein the barrel receives the ampoule therein with substan tial clearance, and wherein the barrel is formed within its needle containing end, with a diametrically constricted position to receive the end portion of the ampoule therein as a means of axially centering it relative to the barrel, and wherein the tubular plunger body receives the ampoule telescopically thereinto with clearance between them as the plunger is advanced into the barrel, and said body is formed internally with longitudinal ribs to axially center the ampoule in the tubular body.

9. A hypodermic syringe for the injection of liquid medication from a cylindrical ampoule that has a sealing stopple of soft rubber, or the like, fixed therein at one end, and a stopple of piston form movably fitted in its other end portion; said syringe comprising a tubular barrel, open at one end and having an internal diameter sufficient to contain the ampoule therein with substantial clearance between them, and closed at its other end and mounting a needle coaxially thereof, formed with a sharpened inner end portion extended into the barrel, and a plunger comprising a tubular body, closed at its outer end and open at its inner end and telescopically received within the barrel in an air tight joint and to receive the ampoule therein with clearance, said barrel and plunger when assembled providing a sealed air chamber about the ampoule in which pressure of the air is increased as the parts are telescoped together; said plunger having a stem fixed to its outer end wall and coaxially contained in the body, to engage with the movable stopple of the contained ampoule to advance the ampoule to cause its sealing stopple to be pierced by the needle and then to move the piston stopple to eject the liquid through the needle; said barrel having a diametrically constricted part adjacent the needle to receive and center the ampoule relative to the needle, and said body of the plunger having ribs on its inside walls to engage the ampoule as means for centering the ampoule and to frictionally grip the ampoule for movement thereof with aspirating movement of the plunger.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

